Box having pouring spout



Oct. 10, 1961 D. A. CLARK ETAL 3,003,673

BOX HAVING POURING SPOUT Filed Sept. 25, 1959 42 5 L46 40 L INVENTORS.

00 via A (70/76 9 7:? BY 9000/0 A. C/OIk United States Patent 3,003,673BOX HAVING POURING SPOUT David A. Clark and Ronald A. Clark, both ofAtherton, M0. Filed Sept. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 841,881 3 Claims. (Cl.229-17) This invention relates to a pull-out pouring'spout for boxesespecially adapted for containers conventionally used in the packagingof soaps and detergents and other granular materials, the primary objectbeing to eliminate spillage problems that consistently harass thepurchasing public because of the nature of box opening means commonlyemployed throughout the industry.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide apull-out pouring spout for containers that is adapted to be folded to aclosed condition after each use and which will positively preventspillage of the material therefrom without need for rescaling asinitially packaged.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide aspout that is initially held in place by hold-down means that includes areadily removable, tear-out tab.

A further important object of the instant invention is the provision ofindividual components of the spout itself, together with other parts ofthe box made in a way to preserve the usual shape and configuration ofthe box insofar as the provision of a flat, horizontal top is concerned.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box having a pouring spout madepursuant to our present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing the spout pulled outin condition for use.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, vertical, fragmentary, crosssectional viewthrough a portion of the box and more particularly, through the pouringspout when closed substantially midway through the main segment of thespout; and

FIG. 4 is an inside plan view of the blank from which the box is made.

The box as illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided with a right side panel 10,a front end panel 12, and a top, broadly designated by the numeral 14,the left side panel being shown in FIG. 3 and designated by the numeral16.

Looking, therefore, to FIG. 4 of the drawing, blank 18 from which thebox is made, has a line of bend 20 separating panels and 12 and lines ofbend 22 and 24 that set ofi a rear end panel 26 between the panels 10and 16. The panels 10, 12, 16 and 26 are in turn separated from top 14and bottom 28 by transverse lines of bend 30 and 32 respectively. Linesof sever ance 34 and 36 disposed as continuations of lines of bend 22and 24 respectively, and a line of severance 38 continuing from line ofbend 20, separate bottom 28 into a plurality of flaps 40, 42, 44 and 46that are folded in the usual and conventional manner about the line 32in overlapping relationship to form the bottom 28, suitable adhesivebeing employed in the normal way to hold the bottom 28 properlyassembled.

A line of bend 48 presents a marginal flap 50 whose outer face (notshown) is connected to the left side panel 16 by adhesive 52 when thepanels 10, 12, 16 and 26 are folded along lines 20, 22, 24 and 48 topresent the polygonal form of the box as shown in FIG. 1.

The top 14 is made up in a manner similar to bottom 28 of a flap 54including the flap 42 integral with the rear end panel 26 at the line ofbend 30. A lower top flap 56 is integral with front side panel 10through line of bend 30, and an upper top flap 58 is integral with leftside panel 16 through line of bend 30. Lines of ice cut 60 and 62aligned with the lines of bend 22 and 24 respectively, separate the flap54 from the flaps 56 and 58.

Pull-out pouring spout 64 for the top '14 is disposed adjacent the endpanel 12 and includes a plurality of triangular segments, one of whichis identified as a main segment and designated by the numeral 66.Segment 66 is an integral part of the end panel 12 and joins therewithby a line of fold 68 forming one edge of the segment 66 and constitutinga continuation of the line of bend 38. Additionally, the spout 64includes a pair of secondary segments 78 and 72, the former of whichconnects with flap 58 by a line of fold 74 and the segment 72 joins withflap 56 by a line of fold 76.

Spout 64 includes still further, a pair of median segments 78 and 80that are integral with main segment 66 along lines of fold 82 and 84respectively. The segments 72 and 78 are integrally connected bycontinuation 20a of the line of bend 20, and marginal flap 50 isintegral with segment 80 by continuation 48a of the line of bend 43.When the flap 50 is joined to the panel 16 along glue strip 52, aportion of the flap 50 overlaps segment 70 and is adhered thereto.Consequently, the line of fold 68 extends across the line of bend 48terminating at the free ends of the marginal flap 50. And, a diagonalfold line 86 provided in the marginal flap 50, becomes contiguous withthe line of fold 74. Hence, as seen in FIG. 2, a portion of the marginalflap 50, designated by the numeral 88, becomes a part of the spout 64because of its adhesive joinder with the segment 70.

It is thus seen that when the spout 64 is folded in the closed positionillustrated in FIG. 1, the portion 88 of marginal flap 50, is interposedbetween the segments 70 and 80 of the spout 64. Also, when the spout 64is in the closed condition, the segments 78 and 80 overlap the segment66 and of course, the segment 72 overlies the segment 78, therebyplacing segment 72 within the same horizontal plane as the portion 88 ofmarginal flap 50.

The upper flap 58 of the top 14 is provided with a tear-out tab 90 atone corner thereof adjacent the panels 10 and 12 and which tear-out tab90 is manifestly in the same horizontal plane as the segment 70 of thespout 64. Lines of weakness 92 and 94 between the tab 90 and the flap5'8, and a line of weakness 96 between the tab 90 and a hold-down tab98, permit lifting of the tab 90 and the tearing of the same away fromthe flap 58 and the tab 98. As seen in FIG. 1, the tab 98 is foldeddownwardly into overlapping relationship to the end panel 12 and gluedthereto. Consequently, the tab 98 remains in place on the end panel 12when the tear-out tab 90 is removed. It is to be pointed out at thisjuncture that the line of weakness 94 joins the tearout tab 90 with thesegment 70 of the spout 64. Consequently, when the tab 90 is removed,the spout 64 may be readily folded outwardly to the pouring positionillustrated in FIG. 2.

It is preferable, when the flap 58 is adhered to the flap 56, that noadhesive be provided for the tear-out tab 90 since the tab 98 willadequately hold the tab 90 against the segment 72 of the spout 64. And,by virtue of the joinder of the tab 90 to the segment 70, the entirespout 64 will be held closed with lines of fold 20a and 48a contiguouswith the line of fold 68.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a box, a hollow body having a pair of side panels, a pair of endpanels, a bottom and a top; and a pull-out pouring spout for said topadjacent one of the end panels, said spout including a central maintriangular segment having a line of fold forming one edge of the mainsegment and the upper edge of said one end panel, a pair of secondarytriangular segments disposed one on each side of said main segment andeach joined with said top by a line of fold, and a median triangularsegment between each secondary segment respectively and the main segmentand joined therewith 'by lines of fold, the median segments overlappingthe main segment and each secondary segment overlapping itscorresponding median segment when the spout is closed, said top having apair of relatively overlapped flaps, one of the secondary segments beingintegral with one of the flaps, the other secondary segment beingintegral with the other flap, said one flap having means thereon andconnected with said one end panel for initially holding the spoutclosed, said spout holding means including a tear-out tab connected withthe secondary segment of said one flap and overlapping the secondarysegment of said other flap, and a hold-down tab conneoted with thetear-out tab and glued to said one end panel.

2. In a box, a hollow body having a pair of side panels, a pair of endpanels, a bottom and a top; and a pull-out pouring spout for said topadjacent one of the end panels, said spout including a central maintriangular segment having a line of fold forming one edge of the mainsegment and the upper edge of said one end panel, a pair of secondarytriangular segments disposed one on each side of said main segment andeach joined with said top by a line of fold, and a median triangularsegment between each secondary segment respectively and the main segmentand joined therewith by lines of fold, the median segments overlappingthe main segment and each secondary segment overlapping itscorresponding median segment when the spout is closed, said top having apair of relatively overlapped flaps, one of the secondary segments beingintegral with one of the flaps, the other secondary segment beingintegral with the other flap, said one flap having means thereon andconnected with said one end panel for initially holding the spoutclosed, said spout holding means including a tear-out tab connected withthe secondary segment of said one flap and overlapping the secondarysegment of said other flap, a hold-down tab connected with the tear-outtab and glued to said one end panel, and a portion interposed betweenthe secondary segment of said one flap and the median segmenttherebelow.

3. In a box, a hollow body having a pair of side panels, a pair of'endpanels, a bottom and a top; and a pullout pouring spout for said topadjacent one of the end panels, said spout including a central maintriangular segment having a line of fold forming one edge of the mainsegment and the upper edge of said one end panel, a pair of secondarytriangular segments disposed one on each side of said main segment andeach joined with said top by a line of fold, and a median triangularsegment between each secondary segment respectively and the main segmentand joined therewith by lines of fold, the median segments overlappingthe main segment and each secondary segment overlapping itscorresponding median segment when the spout is closed, said top having apair of relatively overlapped flaps, one of the secondary segments beingintegral with one of the flaps, the other secondary segment beingintegral with the other flap, said one flap having means thereon andconnected with said one end panel for initially holding the spoutclosed, said spout holding means including a tear-out tab connected withthe secondary segment of said one flap and overlapping the secondarysegment of said other flap, a hold-down tab connected with the tear-outtab and glued to said one end panel, a portion interposed between thesecondary segment of said one flap and the median segment therebelow,and a manginal flap on said one end panel secured to one of the sidepanels, said portion being a continuation of said marginal flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,561,568 Falk July 24, 1951 2,565,182 Maxon Aug. 21, 1951 2,811,297Mairon Oct. 29, 1957 2,861,732 Parker Nov. 25, 1958 2,928,579 GraybillMar. 15, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 95,342 Sweden Feb. 2, 1939

